Democrats' JobsOhio lawsuit refiled in Franklin County

Democratic lawmakers and a liberal policy group refiled their lawsuit challenging JobsOhio on constitutional grounds in Franklin County Common Pleas Court.

Two Democratic lawmakers and a liberal policy group refiled a lawsuit declaring JobsOhio unconstitutional in Franklin County Common Pleas Court yesterday.

The lawsuit, filed by state Rep. Dennis Murray, D-Sandusky, Sen. Michael Skindell, D-Cleveland, and ProgressOhio argues that JobsOhio (Gov. John Kasich's privatized development corporation) was granted exemptions from corporate regulations most other Ohio corporations must follow. The suit also argues that the state cannot invest public dollars in a private entity.

The Democrats and liberal group orignally filed a similar suit with the Ohio Supreme Court (as mandated by House Bill 1 - the legislation that created JobsOhio), but the state's high court ruled on Aug. 19 that it was not the proper court for initial legal challenges against JobsOhio.

Skindell, Murray, and ProgressOhio's executive director Brian Rothenberg said they were also considering filing a motion seeking a temporary restraining order to prevent JobsOhio from moving forward as Ohio's development wing while their lawsuit winds through the courts.

Victoria Ullmann, the attorney who filed the lawsuit, said it could take two years before the suit ultimately ended up back before the Surpeme Court, assuming the plaintiffs were successful in lower courts and the defendants appealed those decisions.

The defendants named in the suit are Kasich, JobsOhio, Department of Development Director Christiane Schmenk, budget director Tim Keen, and Treasurer Josh Mandel.

Rothenberg has also sued Kasich over his appointment of Kvamme as Ohio's development director and for attempting to privatize some state prisons.